In 2017, Bill Skarsgard recreated the sewer scene straight out of IT, terrifying everyone who watched the first IT, IT 2, however, is a comedy.

IT Chapter Two picks up 27 years after IT when the Losers Club had seemingly bested Pennywise in the barrens. Derry, the town where IT is set, is beginning to have more disappearances. Mike Hanlon, played by Isaiah Mustafa, is the leading detective on these multiple cases of murders and disappearances. Hanlon figures it is Pennywise, so he calls up every single member of the Losers Club in order to take down the clown once and for all.

Andy Muschetti, the director of the first IT, returns to the helm for the sequel. Where Muschetti stations in great character development and great shots, he lacks in actual horror and consistency.

And that’s simply one of the biggest problems with this movie; it’s just not scary.

It’s annoying for movie fans when half of the movie’s supposedly “scary” moments are horribly CGI’d demons jump scaring the audience. Even when there are parts where the movie is supposed to be frightening, it’s played off as a joke. This actually ended up with my audience laughing more than screaming, which there was none to be heard through the whole film.

However, that doesn’t mean the movie is all bad The score by Benjamin Wallfisch is good, but not as memorable as some other horror movie scores, like the movie US (2019). Bill Hader, who plays Richie Tozier, along with Bill Skarsgard, who plays Pennywise, drastically carry this cliché  horror fest.

I also have to note how big of a disservice was done to Bill Skarsgard’s character. He is barely used in this movie, and when he is, he talks way too much. So now, the movie has a Pennywise that’s way too predictable and not scary at all compared to the first movie.

This movie is two hours and 45 minutes long, and due to how they handle all of the characters, the pacing, and the mediocre jump scares, you’ll really notice how the movie is dragging when you should be excited.

Additionally, and in comparison to the first movie, the relationships between the Losers feels way too short-lived. They all disappear as soon as they meet for the first time, which makes the climax of the film feel like they are mostly strangers forced to be together.

IT Chapter Two is a bleak, boring and predictable adventure film carried by its amazing actors. I’d give this a 4 out of 10.

It’s sad to see the horror genre falling apart, as all directors are just moving to jump scares and really predictable set-pieces, instead of legitimate and authentic horror.